greater offect, bearing the colours of French, English, and Ame ricans. Precisely at six in the evening, this engagement was announced and commenced by an action between two British and two American frigates. The first broadside was scarcely fired, when ample testimony was borne to the propriety of choosing such a divertisement. No sooner was the first shot heard, than the general anxiety for the honour of our tridents appeared so great, that the shews and booths poured out their myriads, who all rushed upon the shores of the Serpentine to cheer our brave tars with their presence, and witness the honour of our naval flag. Gin and gingerbread, and even Whitbread's entire at once lost all their unbounded influence. Romeo ranted, and Juliet whined to spectators, who possessed no faculty but motion, and who felt no desire but that of seeing the battle. The American frigates lay at anchor; the English of course were the first to commence the action the moment they got along side the enemy, by a broadside, which was quickly returned. This, after some manuœvring, was followed by a desperate cannonade, kept up for a considerable time by both vessels. The second frigate then followed the example of the first; the fight continued till it was supposed that great damage had been sustained on both sides, when the matter was decided, as such contests frequently are, by boarding; the frigates ran along side, and clearing the decks of the supposed Americans, the Union Jack was in a moment hoisted above the thirteen stripes. Thus ended the first part of the engagement; but at eight o'clock a French squadron of six sail being in sight, it soon appeared that ours were under way, to meet them, and with a steady breeze they came into action; the van ship giving each of the enemy's vessels a broadside as she passed to the sternmost, and receiving the broadside of the whole line in return. The six English ships having ranged themselves close to the enemy in line, the two Admirals engaged, and a heavy cannonade was kept up forty-five minutes and twentysix seconds. When it ceased, all the enemy's ships appeared dismasted; one of the English fleet lost her main mast, and a

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second was so much cut up in her hull and rigging, that she was unable to pursue the enemy; two of the French ships consequently got away. The other four being mere hulks, were taken possession of: then in order to destroy them and the two that were supposed to have run-aground, two fire-ships were fitted up, and being towed down to the enemy, soon communicated the fatal element, so that in the course of an hour all the enemy's vessels were burnt down to the water's edge. Another exhibition peculiar to Hyde Park on this occasion, was the water-rockets, discharged by a man in the water provided with one of Daniel's Life Preservers, commencing with a report which drew the attention of the spectators; they were then seen whirling about with great rapidity on the surface of the water, imitating the rotatory motion of a mill-wheel. In a few seconds there was an imitation of a very beautiful fountain, which, after spouting for some time, barst forth with a loud report into a variety of angles, called water-snakes. These, after flying into the air, descended again, and immerging into the water for a second or two, rose at the distance of a few feet, and after bounding some time in all directions, expired in a loud explosion.

Here ended the diversions of the eventful first of August, 1814; but such was the avidity of the shop and booth-keepers, who took no small advantage in enhancing the price of their commodities during the fair, that they seemed to entertain no inclination to conclude it with the other amusements: on the contrary, eight days after its commencement, it was found necessary to issue an order from the Secretary of State's Office for removing the booths, &c.: this not being obeyed, was productive of another from Lord Sidmouth; and, at an early hour, Sir Nathaniel Couant, the Chief Magistrate of Bow Street Police, attended by a few officers, proceeded through the Parks, and requested that all keepers of taverns, booths, &c. would immediately remove them. This behest was received with much displeasure, especially by those who imagined, from some newspaper reports, that the fair was to last till the Prince Regent's

birth-day; under that impression they pleaded that they had laid in a stock of provisions, &c. However, about two o'clock on Tuesday, August 9, it was considered indispensable that the Magistrates should again remind them of the Royal Order: consequently Mr. Bicknell, the deputy Ranger of the Park, Sir Nathaniel Conant, and Mr. Sketchley, with a large detachment of Police Officers, again attending, the offending parties, to avoid worse consequences, thought proper to withdraw.

Some shocking acts of immorality committed in some of the booths or taverns, besides the general stagnation of industry and regular habits, are understood to have hastened the termination of these public exhibitions, which was also effected by a serious representation from the Bishop of London to the proper authorities.

Next to these considerations, Sunday, the 31st of July, the day preceding the Fete, as well as the Sunday following, had drawn multitudes of idle and dissolute spectators of all sorts into the parks, some to view the preparations, and others to see the remains of these unprecedented fetes: in reality, infatuation had worked upon the nascent principles of dissipation to such a degree, that as numbers of the lower orders had persuaded themselves that the Temple of Concord in the Green Park would be illuminated a second time on the night of the 12th of August, an unruly multitude assembled there late on that evening, where, finding no other object to engage their attention, they began to pull down the fence round the Temple of Concord, of which, without hesitation, they made a bonfire! It was impossible for the centinels to oppose the numbers collected on this occasion; so that gaining confidence from this forbearance, they proceeded from burning the rails to burn the sentry boxes, and by throwing branches of trees into the fire, to raise such a volume of flame, that many persons, at a distance, imagined that St. James's Palace, or several houses, were on fire. But for the arrival of a party of horse, it is probable the rabble would have burnt the Temple of Concord. It was not without force that they were three times expelled from the parks, and as often returned; and, though the soldiers were pelted with stones and

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brick-bats, it must be owned they behaved with great moderation, contenting themselves merely with taking some of the most refractory into custody.

Such was the conclusion in the metropolis of the celebration of a peace, in extent and magnitude superior to any precedent whatever. In the country, beyond all dispute, this great event was distinguished by observances much more congenial to the hospitality of the national character. The balls, illuminations, and fire-works, were either preceded or followed by liberal subscription dinners or suppers, provided for the poor inhabitants and others, particularly in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. In many other places the people were presented with coals, clothing, &c. And whilst this much is recorded to the credit of the country, only for want of proper examples, it does not appear that a single shilling was disbursed in this hospitable manner in the metropolis, or any where within its verge.

HISTORICAL, TOPOGRAPHICAL, AND DESCRIPTIVE PARTICULARS of the PARISHES, &C. EAST OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE.

LIMEHOUSE, from its situation, may be considered as the farthest eastern extremity of the port of London, from its being a continuation of the line of the Thames from Wapping and Shadwell. The late increase of building in the vicinity of this hamlet, from the proximity of the East and West-India Docks, has completely changed the appearance of this neighbourhood within the last century.* Large houses and gardens, meadows, garden-grounds, extensive rope-walks, &c. have all successively disappeared to give place to new buildings and streets, many of which are now, and are likely to remain in an unfinished state, particularly as the

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*Limehouse suffered a very considerable diminution in December, 1716, when, in consequence of a most dreadful fire, nearly 200 houses were destroyed, and infinite distress occasioned. The Prince Regent, agitated with strong sentiments of compassion, ordered the sum of 10001. to be distributed among the most pitiable objects, which laudable example was promptly followed by others to a considerable amount. But it does not appear that, the dwellings were rebuilt.-Anecdotes of the Manners and Customs of London.

the peace of 1814 appears by no means to have increased the trade of the metropolis in this or any other quarter. One of the peculiarities belonging to the villages near the Thames, however, is still distinguishable about Limehouse, viz. the custom of erecting a flag-staff, a pennant, &c. in the gardens. These indieations of things and professions belonging to the sea, sometimes extend to clocks and dials; and, as an instance of this kind, the minute hand of the dial at Limehouse Church, represents an anchor. And, as in time of peace, the vicinity of a port is far from being eligible for the settlement of strangers, it is rather to be apprehended that the decrease of business in such neighbourhoods will have a tendency to cause the removal of numbers of the inhabitants that are settled in them during war time; and this may account for the decline of their population after the return of peace. According to Stow, the original name of this hamlet was Limehurst, a Saxon word, signifying a grove of Lime trees, and given to this village on account of the number of those trees anciently in that neighbourhood.

The parish of Limehouse is comparatively but of recent date; it was not till 1730 that an act was passed, by which this hamlet, and part of Ratcliffe, both appendages to Stepney, were made a distinct parish, since known by the name of St. Aune, Limehouse, bounded by Mile End Old Town and Poplar. The boundary in Ratcliffe extends along the Butcher Row and White Horse Street; the part of Ratcliffe newly annexed has no further connexion than that relative to the payment of church-rates and dues it is still assessed separately, and chuses its own offi

cers.

A very considerable part of the parish of Limehouse, which contains about 150 acres of land, is now covered with new buildings: the late numerous market-gardens and the pasture-grounds have mostly vanished, whilst rope-grounds, and other manufactures, have risen in their stead; and the business of the Limehouse, made in 1769, increased beyond expectation during the long course of the late war. There are several docks in this parish, used principally for repairs.

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